Once Upon a Different Time
by NightCircus2018
Summary: The events of LND are set into motion sooner than in the canon. It's only been 2 years since Christine met Erik that night. Ever wondered how LND would have ended had Erik and Christine and Gustave been reunited earlier than 10 years? I hope story is better than summary!
1. Arrival of the Trio

**AN: Please bear with me, this is my first POTO/LND story and I have never written these characters before. They will be a little OOC I'm sure so if you don't like that, Sorry I'm working on figuring out all the character dynamics, but at the same time not sorry cause all my fics have characters that are OOC.**

 **Pairings: Erik x Christine, brief Raoul x Christine. Others will be added as the story progresses and will be noted as they are. As this is a story that is coming to me in my head randomly I'm not sure where it's gonna go yet. Kind of how I see Erik and Gustave composing, the music appearing in their heads and they must translate that to written form.**

 **Summary: As I mentioned, not quite sure where this will end up but here's the basics. The events of LND are set into motion sooner than in the canon. It's only been two years since Christine stole away to Erik's side, Gustave is just over a year old, but Raoul has already lost the majority of his fortune gambling. He's an abusive drunk who wants to cut music out of Christine's life. The performance for Mr. Hammerstein is to be Christine's last performance. Ever wondered how LND would have ended had Erik and Christine and Gustave been reunited earlier than 10 years? Hopefully I can provide one version of events. AU OOC Rated T to be safe (again, I'm not sure how this will turn out and mentions of abuse)**

 **Will mostly be 3** **rd** **person POV or 2** **nd** **person POV unless otherwise stated. This is based off of Australia's version of LND but with Emmy Rossum, Gerard Butler, and Patrick Wilson as Christine, Erik, and Raoul respectively.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own POTO or LND nor do I own any of the characters involved in either musical.**

Christine sighed as Raoul stumbled into the house stinking of alcohol again. She hated when he drank, which was all the time since their wedding. Setting the envelope down, unsure how to bring it up, she tried to straighten herself up. The well-known American Impresario had sent her an invitation to perform at the opening of his new Manhattan Opera House in about a month's time. The job paid well and with Raoul's gambling problems they would need that money. Although she didn't know how to delicately approach the topic; and she didn't have long to figure it out as Raoul had seen the white paper.

"What is that Christine?" he growled, reaching for the offending slip. Christine hid a sigh and handed it to him.

"It's a letter from Oscar Hammerstein. He wants me to sing for the opening of his new opera house in Manhattan. In a month." She explained, going on to disclose the amount offered, knowing it will pay off most of Raoul's debts.

"I can read." Raoul retorted as he glared at the letter, reading through it as best he could through his drunken haze. Taking a few moments to try to piece together the information, he gave a frustrated sigh. "You know I don't want you singing anymore Christine. I really don't understand what is so hard to understand about that."

"We need the money…that's all dear." Christine responded with a small voice, not making any eye contact with her husband, trying not to make him angrier than he already seemed to be.

Raoul threw the paper onto the table with another angry sigh. A few moments passed in silence before he nodded and sat down to compose a reply to the American Impresario.

"Fine. But this is it Christine. No more singing. No more music. It hurts my head." Raoul growled.

Christine reluctantly nodded, she did not want to stop singing and did not want to raise her 15-month-old son, Gustave, without music but she was desperate to stay on Raoul's good side. It really stung when she thought about Gustave's father. Raising _his_ son away from music when music is what brought them together felt wrong. She was so lost in thought of the man she should have chosen that she didn't realize that Gustave had started to cry and was irritating Raoul until it was almost too late. Her husband hadn't laid a hand on the boy yet, but she did not want to test that when he was already irritated. She'd rather take the brunt of his anger herself than let Gustave be hurt. Grabbing the bottle that she had prepared just before the letter came on her way, she rushed to calm the boy. Thankfully her son quieted quickly with the bottle and his mother's soft voice singing to him.

As she heard Raoul move into their bedroom and pass out in the bed she let her thoughts wander again. She wondered where _he_ was…where Erik was. Her Phantom…her Angel of Music. She let herself wonder what life would be like for her and Gustave if Erik hadn't left her that night. If Erik had stayed that night, she would have followed anywhere he led she was sure of it. With him, she wouldn't be trapped in a loveless marriage. Gustave would have his real father to teach him how to play piano and sing. Though she also knew it would do no good to sit and think on the past, she'd do nothing but get her hopes up only to have them crushed when she returned to reality. Christine shook thoughts of her lover aside and put Gustave to bed, sighing and joining her husband in bed herself.

~~2 weeks later-day of arrival in New York~~

She could tell her husband was already irritated before they even stepped off the ship. The crowd was loud and apparently excited about the soprano's imminent arrival. As much as she acted like she wasn't, Christine was excited to see America-to see New York at least. They were late disembarking from the ship because she had had to spend extra time covering up a fresh bruise on her cheek. She made a mistake and upset her husband and in return he had slapped her. That among the crowd calling out for her had done nothing but put Raoul into a foul mood. A mood made even more sour as photographers immediately began snapping pictures as they stepped onto the dock.

"No pictures do you hear!? No pictures of the boy!" he snarled, acting as a protective father and shielding Christine from the cameras as she held the baby to her chest. "Where is Hammerstein…? We were assured he'd be greeting us in person."

Christine looked around, trying to spot anyone who seemed like they would be the man they were looking for. Instead she spotted a carriage driving up towards them; a carriage without horses. Raoul grimaced in disgust while Christine watched in complete interest as three very peculiar people exited the carriage. Introducing themselves as Dr. Gangle, Miss Fleck, and Mr. Squelch they ushered the family into the carriage-promising they were sent by Hammerstein.

Unbeknownst to the family, they were, in fact, sent by someone else…someone familiar. The man in question watched from afar to ensure his workers had done as he asked. It was not missed by Erik how meek and submissive Christine had looked while she followed Raoul through the crowd. He knew the look she wore well, and it lit a rage deep inside him at the knowledge that she was being hurt. That the one person she should trust to protect her, had been doing the exact opposite. He fought the urge to intercept his carriage and rip the Viscomte's throat out, he knew Christine wouldn't approve no matter how badly Raoul had hurt her. Instead Erik knew he had to bide his time, he'd ensure Christine and the child stayed in America and Raoul left them alone. He just had to speak with Christine.

Once at the hotel and checked in, Raoul angrily stormed into the room they were booked. Christine followed behind with Gustave, wary of her husband's raging temper. Desperate to avoid setting him off she tried to soothe his troubled mind to no avail.

"What a dreadful town! What a vulgar place! We shouldn't have come here Christine! For them to put us on display like that! Like we were mere lower-class scum! How dare they treat us so! We should just pack and go home, never you mind the money we owe. Hammerstein's a fool if he thinks we are bought by his filthy American money!" Raoul ranted, pacing around the main area of the hotel room. Christine watched silently.

"Let us leave then dear. Tonight. If it would ease your troubled mind. I only wanted to accept because we need the money…that's why things haven't been right as of late…" Christine knew she had made a mistake as soon as the words left her lips. A loud smack and a sting to her cheek followed and she shielded Gustave as best she could.

"Why am I not surprised that I'm to blame here!" Raoul raged, his gaze landing on the now crying toddler. "Enough of that nonsense Gustave!"

Raoul's rant was cut short by a knock on the door, a delivery. Raoul opened the letter and read it to himself, his mood suddenly shifting.

"It's from Hammerstein. He wants to meet with me alone at the hotel bar…well. He may lack a certain courtesy, but he does have a savoir faire in choosing a business rendezvous." He chuckled as he swung his jacket over his shoulders.

"Raoul please…" Christine started but was cut off.

"Please what?" her husband retorted, challenging her to tell him what to do.

"Nothing…" she said meekly, watching as her husband leaves the room, leaving her alone with her sobbing son. "Oh darling…" She hugs Gustave closer and sings to him, trying to calm him. It takes a while but the child soon enough calms enough to drift into slumber. Christine carried him into the room and gently laid him down in the cot they had brought up for him. She then begun getting herself prepared for bed, she had just brushed through her hair and was about to change into a nightgown when she noticed the living area go dark. She walked through the bedroom door to see what had happened when the doors leading out to the balcony opened. She gasped at who she saw standing outside.

It was Erik.

 **So there it was! Chapter one! Let me know what you think in the reviews. Constructive Criticism is welcome, but please keep it constructive. Until next time!**


	2. You left me with a Son

**AN: Erik and Christine are finally reunited! Will Christine be as angry as she was in LND? Since it's only been 2 years instead of 10. I realized after I posted chapter 1 I failed to mention my casting of Gustave. I don't have anyone in mind in his early years yet but I picture him at 10 as Jack Lyall, who portrayed him in the Australian version of LND.**

 **Sorry it's been a while since I posted Chapter 1, work has been nuts lately. But I just saw LND live today and it was AMAZING!**

 **Special Shoutout to everyone who reviewed last chapter and have favorited/followed the story! Thank you to TitaniumFire for following the story, and lupo6 for following/favoriting! And Thanks to the guest who reviewed! Glad you like the story so far and hope you continue to enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer: I own nothing sadly.**

Christine came to in a chair, with the father of her son kneeling in front of her. She didn't remember fainting, last, she remembers is seeing him in the doorway of the balcony.

"W-What are you doing here? Was it all a lie? Letting me believe you were dead? That that was why you didn't return? How can you come to lay claim to me now?" She asked, her anger at him taking control briefly.

"Believe me Christine…if you had known the pain I felt…you would understand and know that I had to." The phantom responded softly, knowing full well he deserved her anger. "Oh Christine…my Christine…" he muttered softly, taking in the sight of her.

"Your Christine! I was yours one night! I went to you to declare my love for you…troubled by my choice…and you left me!" she could feel her anger start to dissipate slowly, although she wanted to remain angry. "I would have followed anywhere you lead…How I loved you so…" she looked down, trying to blink back tears.

Erik's heart broke for her, he reached up and cupped her cheek in one hand. He regretted leaving every day since. He wished he could have returned for her, but he was a wanted man in Paris. He couldn't show his face there or else he'd be arrested.

"That night was the best night in my life Christine…I was ashamed of what I was…" he gestured to his mask "Afraid to meet your eyes… You were afraid of the sight of me…I…I thought you'd regret everything if you saw me after." Erik confessed, putting a hand over the mask covering his deformity.

"Wasn't that my decision to make? Yes…it shocked me at first…and I regret how I reacted to seeing your face for the first time. But with time it mattered less and less. It's a part of you and I don't see you differently than anyone else. It's the beauty within that matters Erik. You're a good person inside, even though you've done horrible things in the past. _Beautiful creature of darkness…what kind of life have you known…? God give me courage to show you…you are not alone…._ " She sang softly, changing some of the words of what she had sung to him so long ago.

Erik let out a single sob, he had expected her to hate him and send him away, not forgive him…at least that's what it sounded like to him. "How could you forgive me for all that I've done? I've killed Christine…and I left you…I left you with that…man." Erik could hardly bring himself to refer to Raoul as a man. He noticed at the mention of Raoul that Christine tensed, and glanced around briefly. He stroked her hair back gently and hesitantly reached up to kiss her forehead.

He had opened his mouth to speak, to promise her that Raoul wouldn't lay a hand on her anymore, when he was interrupted by the sound of an infant crying in the next room. Christine stood and started towards the room, turning around as she reached the door.

"Stay? Please? I…I want you to meet someone." She asked, knowing that Erik deserved to know about Gustave. Erik nodded, though he was unsure if he wanted to meet the child of a man he loathed. Christine disappeared, only to return a few moments later with a small child held close to her chest. The child had stopped crying but was still sniffling against his mother's chest. Erik remained kneeling on the floor, though he was now turned towards the bedroom, watching Christine approach.

"Erik. This is Gustave…our son." She was nervous of his reaction and kept Gustave close. She watched Erik's face to try to distinguish how he felt about the matter. She couldn't get a read on it though, as he was skilled in hiding his emotions.

"O-Our son?" Erik stuttered after a moment of shocked silence. A son. He had a son. He couldn't wrap his mind around it, it was something he never thought possible yet something he wished for his entire life. Erik couldn't place the feeling he had in that moment as he laid eyes on the child properly for the first time. The child was beautiful, no signs of inheriting his deformity which he was grateful for. He had dark brown hair like him and deep brown eyes like his mother's. "He's beautiful…"

"Would you like to hold him?" Christine asked, stepping closer to Erik, smiling softly. She chuckled as Erik nodded and awkwardly took Gustave from her, she helped adjust his hold on the boy, so he wouldn't accidentally drop him. Gustave looked around, taking in his surroundings before his eyes landed on his true father. Father and son sat and looked at each other in awe and wonder for a moment. Christine smiled, allowing Erik time with his son, trying not to think about what might happen if Raoul were to return while Erik was present.

A few minutes passed in comfortable silence, Gustave was now leaning into Erik's chest, with his head on his shoulder. He was tapping lightly on his father's coat, rhythmically. Erik was quietly watching him, a thoughtful expression on his face. Suddenly, yet gently as to not startle the child, he stood and walked to the piano in the middle of the room, sitting at the bench with Gustave safe in his lap. Gustave continued to tap out his rhythm on his father's shoulder and Erik started to play a few notes, pausing every so often when Gustave changed the tempo, trying to figure out what he was trying to convey. Soon enough he was able to figure out that Gustave would speed up if he was playing notes that were too low, and slow down if the notes were too high. Erik jotted down the notes as he went, translating for his son. Christine watched in awe, she had been trying to decipher why the 15-month-old kept tapping different rhythms on things. Now she realized he was composing in his way.

She knew she should send Erik away, she knew what Raoul would do to her if he caught them there. Yet, something told her that if Raoul did catch them together, Erik wouldn't allow anything to happen to them. Besides, a larger-than-she-thought part of her was enjoying watching the sweet moment between Gustave and his father. Raoul never really did have the patience to deal with Gustave, as a result he never really paid much mind to the boy. It was nice to see her son interact with Erik as she always dreamed they would.

The comfortable ease of being with Erik and watching him compose with their son couldn't last long, of course. They were interrupted by the sound of the room door opening and a slightly drunk, irate Raoul coming in, not paying much attention to his surroundings as he closed the door behind him.

"He was nowhere…in…" he started before pausing when he saw Erik sitting at the piano, with Gustave held protectively to his chest.

"You!" he exclaimed, stumbling forward with an arm raised. "Christine what the hell is he doing here!? How DARE you come in here!"

Raoul advanced on Christine then, rage in his eyes. He only took one step before Christine found herself holding Gustave and Raoul found himself being slammed against the floor with hands on his throat. Erik's eyes flashed dangerously, the Phantom returning once again.

"I would warn against doing anything rash Vicomte. I believe you recall some of what I am capable of." He threatened, voice deep with anger. Keeping his hands around the Vicomte's throat he turned his head slightly to address Christine; his voice softening. "Christine, pack your and Gustave's things. Then go outside and wait for me."

Christine paused briefly, her mind racing. She wasn't happy in her marriage, she didn't think they could fix whatever they had, and she yearned for Gustave to have someone who understood him. Yet, Raoul was her childhood sweetheart and best friend before her father died. He later became her lover and at that time, her savior. Now though…now her husband had gambled away all their money and spent whatever they could find on alcohol. Making up her mind she nodded quietly and went off to get her things together. **(AN: I know this may seem rushed as far as her going with Erik but I'm taking it as her getting Gustave out of a potentially dangerous situation and deciding that she'd rather have him raised by his biological father.)**

Once she was out of the room Erik turned back towards Raoul, the murderous expression deepening.

"You will leave and return to France. File for an annulment and tell them you tricked her into marriage. You will forget about them and never return. Fail and I will make your life a living hell. Believe me, a man hideous as this is capable of anything you can imagine." He threatened the drunkard.

Raoul nodded, gasping for air. Erik threw him to the ground and watched as the man scampered out of the hotel room. Erik waited a few moments to ensure the vicomte wasn't going to return before he turned away from the door to find Christine and his son. He walked into the room after knocking lightly.

"Are you ready my dear?" he inquired softly, as he saw that Christine was packed up already.

The soprano nodded, picking up Gustave and reaching for the suitcase. Erik stepped forward and took ahold of the handle.

"Come." He gestured towards the door, reaching his free hand out to grasp hers gently.

"Where will we stay if we're leaving here?" Christine asked softly, unsure what the future held for her and her son, assuming that Raoul had agreed to whatever Erik had asked and was gone.

"You'll stay with me of course." Erik responded, leading her outside, keeping her close-by once they left the building. She nodded before following him through the streets of Coney Island, admittedly excited about the adventure ahead.

 **AN: You guys know the drill! Reviews are appreciated!**


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